Pizza Funghi e Mozzarella

Mushroom and mozzarella pizza made from scratch using the same Neapolitan dough as pizza margherita. The only technique that differs: fresh champignons are sliced thin and placed on the pizza halfway through baking — not before — to prevent the crust from steaming and softening. Approximately €1.29 per serving.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 500g tipo 00 flour
• 7g fresh yeast (lievito di birra fresco)
• 30ml extra virgin olive oil
• 400g canned peeled tomatoes
• 250g fior di latte mozzarella, drained and torn
• 200g fresh champignons, sliced thin (3–4mm)

Instructions

1. Make the dough Dissolve the yeast in 300ml of warm water (not hot — above 40°C kills the yeast). Add the flour, olive oil, and 8g of salt. Mix until a rough dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to prove at room temperature for 1.5–2 hours until doubled in size.

2. Prepare the tomato sauce Drain the canned tomatoes briefly, then crush them by hand in a bowl. Season with a pinch of salt. No cooking required — the sauce finishes in the oven.

3. Shape the pizzas Knock back the dough and divide into 4 equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each piece by hand from the centre outward to approximately 25–28cm diameter. Avoid using a rolling pin — it compresses the air pockets.

4. First bake — dough and tomato only Preheat the oven to maximum temperature (250°C or above) with a baking tray inside. Place each pizza on the hot tray, spread with tomato sauce, and bake for 8 minutes.

5. Add toppings mid-bake After 8 minutes, remove from the oven. Add the torn mozzarella and the sliced mushrooms. Return to the oven for 5–7 minutes until the mozzarella has melted and the mushroom edges are beginning to brown. Mushrooms placed from the beginning will release too much water — the mid-bake addition is the key step for this pizza.

6. Serve Rest for 2 minutes before cutting. A drizzle of raw olive oil at the table is optional.

Notes

Fresh mushrooms release moisture during baking. Adding them from the beginning traps steam under the toppings, softening the crust and preventing browning. The mid-bake technique — adding mushrooms after 8 minutes of dough-only baking — allows the crust to set before the moisture is introduced.

Slice mushrooms to 3–4mm. Thicker slices will not cook through in the final 5–7 minutes. Thinner than 2mm and they dry out entirely.

For the dough: the prove time is the only variable. In a cold kitchen (under 18°C), the dough may need 2.5–3 hours. In a warm kitchen (over 24°C), 1 hour may be sufficient. The visual indicator — doubled in size — is more reliable than a clock.

Cost Context

At Italian supermarket prices (Q1 2025): farina-00 (€0.50/kg), lievito-di-birra (€7.00/kg), olio-extravergine-oliva (€9.50/L), pomodori-pelati (€1.90/kg), mozzarella (€12.00/kg), funghi fresh champignons (€4.00/kg).

• Farina-00 500g: €0.25
• Lievito-di-birra 7g: €0.05
• Olio 30ml: €0.29
• Pomodori-pelati 400g: €0.76
• Mozzarella 250g: €3.00
• Funghi 200g: €0.80
• Total: €5.15 for 4 servings — €1.29 per serving

Mozzarella (€3.00) accounts for 58% of total ingredient cost — same dynamic as pizza margherita. The mushrooms (€0.80) add €0.20/serving above the margherita baseline. For a topping cost comparison across pizza and focaccia see Cheapest Pizza and Focaccia Toppings — Cost Ranked. Use the Recipe Cost Calculator for the full itemised breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why add the mushrooms halfway through baking rather than from the start? Fresh champignons contain approximately 92% water. Placed on the pizza before baking, they release this moisture during the first 8 minutes in the oven, creating steam that soaks into the crust and prevents it from crisping. Adding them at the 8-minute mark — when the dough base is already set — concentrates the heat on the mushrooms for 5–7 minutes without compromising the crust structure.

Can I use dried or tinned mushrooms? Dried porcini (funghi porcini secchi) work on pizza but produce a more intense, darker flavour. They must be rehydrated in warm water for 20–30 minutes, drained, and squeezed dry before use. 30g dried porcini produces approximately 150g rehydrated — enough for 4 pizzas. Dried porcini cost €15–25/100g, making them significantly more expensive per serving (€0.45–0.75 extra for the same coverage). Tinned mushrooms are not recommended — the water content and texture do not behave predictably under direct oven heat.

How does this compare to pizza margherita? The dough and tomato sauce are identical. Mushrooms add €0.80 total (€0.20/serving) above the margherita ingredient list, bringing the cost from €1.15 to €1.29/serving. The additional step is the mid-bake topping addition — margherita has all toppings added simultaneously. See Pizza Margherita for comparison.